Beyond the Light
by Kirabaros
Summary: Crowley needed help to escape being Lucifer's dog and got it from an unlikely source. Angela gives him help and ends up with the burnt out Rod of Aaron. Tag to Beyond the Mat.


**Beyond the Light**

"That actually worked out better than I thought."

Angela stood there in warehouse, holding the Rod of Aaron, rather leaning on it. She stared at Crowley with a raised brow and looked completely annoyed. The usual look as far as anything involving Crowley went.

Crowley noted the look and said, "What?"

Angela blinked at him as she replied, "I am less than amused at the fact that you asked me to help you."

"The most I expected was a slap to the face. You have a bad habit of do… HEY!" Crowley backed up when she stepped towards him with her hand raised. She was still holding onto the rod and looked the picture of a sorceress or something. "Very bad habit," he said as he dusted his coat off, "Even if I do enjoy it."

Angela narrowed her eyes at the demon. She had been contacted through her dreams by the demon and learned that Lucifer had taken over hell. She didn't believe him at first and brushed him off. It wasn't until it was confirmed that Lucifer was possessing Castiel that she relented a little about his pleas.

She was amused that Lucifer made him his bitch and always teased him about it when she got a chance. Of course it annoyed Crowley and that was a plus in her book, but eventually he told her about what Lucifer was looking for. She didn't let on that she knew about it, but let Crowley talk. Eventually, he came up with a plan of escape.

It was probably foolish to agree to help since she was starting to show and the last thing she wanted was to let Crowley know that she was pregnant. Yet it was a chance to get her hands on a Hand of God item. She had always believed in stacking her hand when it came to taking on an adversary that she wasn't familiar with. She thought with her tactician's mind.

The plan called for Crowley to get free and lead the way to where he stashed the rod. Of course, he had a few plans that he had in place. It was on her level of planning for every possible angle, even the diabolical. It had her reluctant to admit that demon had a pretty good head when it came to tactics. Not that she would ever tell him out loud. That would just inflate his already overinflated ego and she couldn't have that.

She hated hiding things from Sam, but after the thing with Castiel and Lucifer, he became more overprotective. He was still shaken at the fact that she said yes to an angel and she was pregnant. She suspected that he was scared of what he had seen. He didn't voice it, but she sensed it and it hurt that she had scared him that badly.

Looking at Crowley, holding onto the rod, she said, "Just because I helped you in this little plan doesn't mean that we are friends or anything."

"True, but we are… colleagues," Crowley replied after he rolled his eyes in thoughts. "After all _you_ were the one that came to me."

"And to my regret."

"Now is that any way to treat someone who taught you more about deception?"

"As if I needed such," she replied with a snort.

"Considering all the other times…" Crowley stopped when he saw the narrowed eyes. He held his hands up in surrender, "Alright. So… what are you going to now? That's a worthless piece of wood now." He pointed at the rod.

Angela grinned at the demon as she shifted on her feet. She held the staff and said in a singsong tone, "This rod?" She twirled it and gave a good clout to Crowley's hand. It gave a nice sting.

Crowley stepped back, "Bloody hell." He held his hand and saw the red welt. It was the same as being hit with an iron bar. He looked at it and then glared at Angela.

Angela held the rod like she would a staff. She looked at Crowley, "This Hand of God may have lost its power, but anyone who knows a thing or two of magic and especially things blessed by a deity would know that its power is not truly gone. It still produces a sting."

Crowley stared at her. He gave a slight nod, "Well… it's clear that you know how to use that thing."

"You got what you wanted, Crowley. Your freedom." Angela stood the rod beside her. "You should go."

"Don't tell me you're not upset that I used the rod's power?" Crowley looked at her with an incredulous look.

Angela grinned and gave a slight chuckle. She shook her head, "Not really."

"Then why the bloody hell did you help me if it wasn't for the rod?"

Angela smiled at Crowley. "I just couldn't let you rot as Lucifer's bitch."

Crowley stared at Angela. Even after all these years, he still didn't understand her as well as he would like to. His expression was one that was scrutinizing but it hid his surprise and other thoughts well. He gave her a narrow look, "You felt bloody sorry for me?"

"Well I wouldn't go that far," Angela reply after thinking about it some. She gave a playful grin, "It's more like an asset, a valuable asset that I would hate to lose." She looked at Crowley as if to tell him to challenge her assessment.

Crowley raised his brow at her, "I may have done a disservice to you, teaching you that." He gave a pouting nod, "So, I guess you're going to take it with you. Well, my job here is done. Good luck telling the moose what you've been up to."

Angela blinked, not saying anything as Crowley left. When he was gone, she took the breath she had been holding and sagged onto the rod. She was caught by a pair of arms and sighed in relief as one of her hands went to her abdomen.

"You do too much in your condition."

Angela chuckled as she braced herself, "I'm not fragile like the humans you protect Alucard." She straightened up and turned to look at the old friend that brought back one of the few good memories within the last few years or so. "Just pregnant."

Alucard gave a grunt, "Everyone has a vulnerability _mon ange_. Including my kind."

"Ever still the protector. So much like my Sam," Angela replied with a smile.

Alucard gave a wry smile, "And how he manages to keep an eye on you, I'll never figure out." He looked out the window. "Come, we must return to your home before sunrise."

Angela nodded as she clutched the rod to her body. She allowed Alucard to pick her up and carry her out. It wasn't the same as being carried by Sam. She sighed as she thought about him and everything that had happened.

"What has you so sad _mon ange_?"

"Just everything."

Alucard gave a humming sound. He knew that she would tell him when she was ready. He did know that she needed a way to get there. "I am surprised that you asked me for help with this. I would have thought that you would have asked your guardian."

"He's… too honest."

"This is something you don't want Sam to know."

Angela cuddled into Alucard's chest. She shook her head. "No. He's already scared after what happened. After I let an angel in and…" She sighed, "And I may have lost a friend, a brother."

Alucard listened as he took off from the ground. He would be able to cover the distance before sunrise. "And you are afraid of what he will say if you told him about helping the demon." He stated it more than asked.

"It has always been hard for him to understand why I have done things the way I have. Demon stoolies, coming close to the lines with regards to magic," Angela admitted, "We never really talked about it, even though Sam he says he understands."

"And you think he doesn't?"

"He does, but it's a struggle," Angela admitted. She looked out at the land below. She looked at the rod in her hands. "I doubt he'd completely understand why I risked showing myself even dressed in his clothes."

"I don't understand why you still want it even though the power was expended." Alucard peered at it curiously. He gave a slight frown.

"A Hand of God may have power to be used once, but something that had been gifted to the humans to protect this world… it's still pretty active." Angela gave a slight grin, "I still have a knack for finding objects of power."

"That you do," Alucard agreed. He looked at the rod and at Angela. She was getting drowsy now. "I do think though that Sam would understand."

Angela didn't speak. She just looked at the landscape and the ground below. Sam would understand and even be pissed that she went out like she did. But he would understand. Just as she understood him and Dean and why they went to see that wrestler.

* * *

**A/N:** Angie helps Crowley escape Lucifer and obtains something unique while thinking about what happened. Tag to Beyond the Mat.


End file.
